OnStage in Bedford, which has performed in the city for more than 40 years, will relocate after the Old Bedford School is renovated.
BEDFORD, Texas — For more than four decades, OnStage in Bedford has brought community theater productions, laughter and live performances to audiences in Bedford.
In recent years, the group has called the historic Old Bedford School building home. Now, that home is changing. The city of Bedford is preparing for renovations to the Old Bedford School building, requiring the theater group to vacate the property by July 31 as construction begins.
“It is a place where so many people have found their home and their community,” said Hannah Bell, president of OnStage in Bedford Board of Managers.
For 41 years, the nonprofit theater organization has operated in Bedford, producing hundreds of shows and building a loyal audience in the process.
“People are doing it because they love it,” one member said during rehearsals.
But that shared love now comes with uncertainty.
The city said the renovations are expected to begin in August and last about one year. During that time, OnStage must remove all props, costumes and equipment from the building. Onstage won’t return to the same building, because changes under the city won’t guarantee the theater company a six-season show.
“I won’t lie to you, it’s going to be hard,” Bell said.
Part of the challenge is financial. OnStage in Bedford has leased the building from the city for $10 a year under a longstanding agreement. Still, Bell said the organization appreciates the city’s support over the years.
“The people at the city are great. They’ve always taken care of us,” Bell said.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the city said its vision for the renovated Old Bedford School is to create a shared arts space that can accommodate multiple community organizations rather than one permanent theater group.
“Unfortunately, through the years, the City has been unable to accommodate other community arts organizations’ requests due to OnStage’s performance and rehearsal schedule,” the statement said.
The city added that OnStage may have an opportunity to return after renovations are complete, but the organization would not be guaranteed the performance dates it currently relies on.
“The City values OnStage’s longstanding contributions to the Bedford community and hopes the organization will continue to play an important role in the next chapter of Old Bedford School,” a city spokesperson said.
Bell said leaving Bedford entirely would be difficult for the theater company and its supporters.
“To leave Bedford would feel wrong,” she said. “We’re really hoping to land somewhere.”
Ideally, she said, the group hopes to stay nearby so longtime audiences can continue attending productions.
“That magic that is live theater will always be the backbone of what we offer,” Bell said.
For many involved with OnStage, the productions are only part of what matters. The deeper connection, members say, is the community built through decades of performances in Bedford — one they hope can continue wherever the group lands next.